Blank for and method of making writing pens



g- 3, 3 L. H. ASHMQRE 2,168,511 v BLANK FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING WRITING PENS Original Filed June 7, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 RE K8rCO. E] 226g] llllllll illllll ih- PEN MADE IN U.$.A.

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' Aug. 8, 1939.

L. H. ASHMORE 2,168,311 BLANK FOR AND METI-IOD OF MAKING WRITING PENS 'Original Filed June 7, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I710 enzbrr l6onlfehlAsizmor-q Patented Aug. 8, 1939 BLANK FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING WRITING PENS Leon Hehl Ashmore,

C'ollingswood, N. J., assignor to The Esterbrook Steel Pen 'Manufacturing Company, Camden, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application June '7, 1935, Serial No. 25,468 Renewed October 28, 1938 7 Claims.

My invention relates to blanks for and method of making writing pens.

My improved pen may be made from various metals-stainless steel, brass, and the like-and 5. an important feature of my invention is to produce a pen with a vent opening between the nibs tapering toward the writing point and facilitating the flow of ink. This feature, highly desirable in all pens, is also of particular value in pen points employed in fountain pens, in order that proper feed of the ink from the container sac may be insured.

A further feature of my invention is to provide a pen with a smooth writing surface at the end of its nibs.

,A further object of my invention is to effect manufacture of these pens in such manner that all of the mechanical steps applied to the blank and involved in their production shall have been completed prior to the forming or raising of the pen. In other words, the material constituting the pen will be treated completely in the flat state prior to the raising operation. From such raising operation, the pens may pass to polishing or brightening operations, then to the usual inspection, and finally to the market.

All pen points, particularly those employed in fountain pens, should have a smooth writing point. My improved pen possesses a point of this character, which is due to the method of manufacture.

My improved pen includes a spaced opening or. vent between the nibs and extending from the pierce hole to the writing tip, although the broad idea of such spacing forms no part of the present invention. One particular feature of my invention is the provision of such spacing in the blank in a manner that will permit and facilitate the finishing of such blank in the flat stage and prior to the forming or raising thereof to produce a pen.

These and other features of my invention are more fully set forth hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, made on a greatly enlarged scale and more or less diagrammatic in character, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of blank from which improved pens within the scope of my invention may be made. 7

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the front of the blank, looking in the direction of the arrow (1., Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the blank partly in section, looking in the direction of the arrow 1), Fig.1.

Fig. {1 is a planview of the blank, showing its condition in a succeeding step or stage .in the process of manufacture.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank in its next stage in the process of manufacture-the first shear cut of the nib formation being indicated. 5

Fig. 5'=- is an end view of the blank, showing the condition of the nib end portion thereof after the first shear cut.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the blank in its next stage in the process of manufacture-the second 10,

shear out having been made.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the blank showing the condition of the nib end portion thereof after the second shear out.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the portion removed ,5?

from the blank following the second slitting or shearing operation.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan View of a blank illustrating the condition of the same after a pair of shearing operations differing in direction from those illustrated in Fig. 6, but within the scope of my invention, have been made.

Fig. 8 is an end view of the blank shown in Fig. 8, showing the condition of the nib portion thereof.

Fig. 9 is a plan View of the portion removed from the blank following slitting or shearing operations of the character illustrated in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of the nib portions of a blank in finished form and in the condition they possess just prior to the forming or raising operation.

Fig. 11 is a front edge view of the finished nib portions shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a finished pen made 5 from ablank produced in accordance with. my invention, but omitting the marking for the sake of clarity.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged view in elevation of the writing tip end of a finished pen; such, for example, as that shown in Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a View similar to Fig. 10, illustrating a further detail of my invention.

The blanks for the production of my improved pens are formed in the usual manner of stamping 4. the same from desired stock, a blank of one form being shown at 20, Fig. l; and these blanks may be provided at the tapered end thereof, from which. the nibs are subsequently formed, with a relatively broad portion 21 for theformation of 5! the writing tip end or point. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate the fact that the blanking operation may leave a sharp, relatively rough edge at the margins of the blank at one face of the same, while the opposite face of the blank may have rounded 5J2 edges, due to the natural draw operation.

.After blanking, the pens are pierced in the usual manner, as indicated at 22, Fig. 4. The shape of the pierce hole is a matter of indifference and, in the present instance, it is conveniently shown as round.

Following or preceding the piercing operation, the blanks are marked with the makers name, style, number, or other indicia, etc., as indicated in Fig. 4, and they are then to be sheared or slit between the point end and the pierce hole-two slits being made on diverging lines. These shear lines may diverge with respect to the longitudinal axis of the blank from the point to the pierce hole, as indicated at 24 and 25, Fig. 6, and they may diverge from a point :1: (or 1:) well in advance of that portion of the blank which is to form the point or writing tip end of the finished pen. I do not wish to limit myself to this arrangement of the shear lines, however, and in Fig. 8 I have shown shear lines 24 and 25 to form the desired space, which lines diverge with respect to the longitudinalaxis of the blank from the pierce hole toward the point of the blank.

These slits (24 and 25, or 24 and 25*) provide an opening or space 26 (or 26 between the pairs of nib portions 2'! (or 21 and their position or relation with respect to the tapered end portion of the blank determines the width of the point or writing tip end of the finished pen. Figs. 7 and 9 illustrate the shape of portions removed from the blank following the double shearing opin the blanking erations illustrated in Figs.. 6 and 8. In all instances, the two shearingoperations leave a gap 11 between the nib portions at the writing tip.

end of the blank. The presence of this gap in the blank permits the rounding or smoothing of the inner corners or edges at the ends of the nib portions, which portions are brought together when the blank is formed or raised. into pen form.

The blanks are then placed in the usual tumbling barrel or rumble for the purpose of smoothing all rough edges of the same, rounding corners, and the like. This operation may be in thenature of wet scouring, and it has the effect of rounding the inner corners o of the ends of the nib portions separated by the gap y, producing a smooth writing tip surface for contact with the paper as well as rounding the outer corners o' of the ends of the nib portions.

By reason of the improved manner of shearing the blanks, it is possible to regulate, with an exact V nicety, the width of the writing tip end. The width of this end in the blankmay be almost anything within reason, inasmuch as the stock employed provides enough metal to give the blank at its tip any width desired within the width of its body. In operating upon the same type of blank, the shear lines may vary in their divergence, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 6 which extend to the point :2. Thus, the points of the individual nibs may be varied in width.

After the wet scouring orother treatment in the rumble, with suitable abrasive material the last step in finishing the blankthe pens are formed or raised, and, in this operation, the ends or points of the nib portions are automatically brought into the desired contact at the writing tip end of the pen.

In Figs. 10 and 11 I have illustrated fragmentary views of the nib portions of a blank in their finished form, just prior to the forming or raising operation which transforms the blank into a pen; Fig. 10 being a plan view of the ends of the nib portions, and Fig. 11 an edge view looking at the front of the same. These views are intended to show clearly that the corners of the ends of the nib portions have been rounded in the finishing of the blank preparatory to raising the same into a pen, and they are greatly enlarged, being further intended to represent the *nib portions before development into a pen, of

. tions with a much wider writing tip end. These nib portions will be formed with the curved contour indicated at a at the outer portions of the nibs at the writing tip end of the pen.

In Fig. 14, I have shown an enlarged view of the writing tip end of a pen made in accordance with my invention; careful observation of which will show that the ends of the nibs are rounded and smooth, particularly at their meeting surfaces, and that said nib ends are in the desired contact for proper writing use.

The essential object in the production of writing pens, particularly steel pens, whether they are employed with fountain pens or are the ordinary dip pens, is that they shall have a smooth writing surface and smooth surfaces for the flow of ink. .By reason of the method of manufacture hereinbefore outlined, which includes the presence in the blank of the gap between the nib portions thereof, all the rough edges of the flat blank have been removed and the corners rounded, and a pen point with a smooth writing tip surface has been developed from the finished fiat blank; the wet scouring or other abrasive treatment of the blank in the fiat cleaning, smoothing, and/or rounding all of the rough corners of the blank before the pen is formed or raised therefrom. The raising operation transforms the fiat blank to pen form and simultaneously brings the spaced nibs into contact and proper writing position and sets the nibs in such condition. Except for the polishing step, which does not alter the form of the pen, the raising step is the last step in the formation of the pen from the original fiat blank to finished pen form.

It will be understood, of course, that various modifications may be made in the above-described embodiments of my invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the same as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a fiat metal blank for the formation of a writing pen having a pierce hole and a tapered slot definitely spacing the nib portions thereof and extending from the point of the blank to the pierce hole; the walls of said slot diverging with respect to, the longitudinal axis of the blank and said nib portions and the latter having the inner corners at their ends rounded before the blank is raised to pen form.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a flat metal blank for the formation of a writing pen having a pierce hole and a tapered slot definitely spacing the nib portions thereof and extending from the point of the blank to the pierce hole; the

walls of said slot diverging with respect to the longitudinal axis of the blank inwardly of the writing tip end of the same and said blank having the inner corners at the ends of its nib portions rounded before raising to pen form.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a fiat metal blank for the formation of a writing pen having a pierce hole and a tapered slot definitely spacing the nib portions thereof and extending from the point of the blank to the pierce hole; the walls of said slot diverging outwardly from the pierce hole of the blank and the latter having the inner corners at the ends of its nib portions rounded before raising to pen form.

4. The method of making pens which consists in forming a flat blank from suitable metal stock, providing a pierce hole therein, slitting said blank by a plurality of cuts on diverging lines between the pierce hole and the point of the same to form nib portions definitely spaced apart throughout their length, treating the flat blank by tumbling operation with a suitable abrasive to remove all fins and projections due to the blanking and shearing operations and thereby rounding the nib portions at the writing tip end of the pen; and thereafter raising the fiat blank to pen form and simultaneously bringing the ends of the nib portions into meeting relation.

5. The method of making pens which consists in forming a fiat blank, piercing said blank, shearing the blank on a plurality of lines extending from the pierce hole toward the point to form nib portions; said shearing operations diverging outwardly from the pierce hole whereby the nib portions are definitely spaced apart throughout their length in the fiat condition; treating the prepared flat blanks to remove fins and rounding the inner corners of the nib portions at the writing tip end; and thereafter raising the flat blank to pen form and simultaneously bringing the ends of the nib portions into meeting relation.

6. The method of making pens which consists in forming a flat blank, piercing said blank, shearing the blank on a plurality of lines extending from the pierce hole toward the point to form the nib-portions; the lines of said shearing operations terminating at a point beyond the point of the blank whereby the nib portions are definitely spaced apart throughout their length; Wet scouring the prepared fiat blanks to remove fins and round the inner corners of the nib portions at the writing tip end; and thereafter raising the fiat blank to pen form and simultaneously bringing the ends of the nibs into meeting relation.

'7. The method of making pens which consists in forming a flat blank from suitable metal stock with a relatively broad tip, providing a pierce hole in said blank, slitting said blank by a plurality of cuts on diverging lines between the pierce hole and the tip to form nib portions in definitely spaced relation throughout their length, treating the blank by a tumbling operation with a suitable abrasive to remove all fins and projections due to the blanking and shearing operations and thereby rounding the corners of the nib portions at the writing tip end of the pen, and thereafter raising the blank to finished pen form and simultaneously bringing the ends of the nib portions into proper meeting relation and setting the same in such condition.

LEON HE-HL ASHMORE. 

